The X Factor 2014 to ‘introduce free voting on Twitter’ in bid to encourage younger viewers to get involved

Simon Cowell is reportedly considering axing voting charges to ensure a winner more popular with younger viewers. Overs act Sam Bailey, was crowned the winner last year (Picture: ITV)

The X Factor is allegedly scrapping voting charges for the next series to encourage young people to vote.

Voting on The X Factor USA is free and show bosses in the UK are said to be following suit to make sure a winner ‘more popular with younger people’ emerges.

X Factor insiders claim that if younger viewers weren’t put off from voting by charges then Luke Friend would have won instead of Sam Bailey in 2013.

A source revealed to The Sun: ‘Simon is determined to introduce free voting this year because it will reinvent the show. It means millions more young people will be able to vote on favourite websites like Twitter.

‘Viewers will feel more engaged and want to continue watching each week when they know their opinion will count.

The insider continued: ‘We crunched the numbers and worked out that making voting free would create very different winners. We believe Sam Bailey would have been beaten by Luke Friend who only ended up coming third.

Show insiders say that Luke Friend would have won over Sam had more younger viewers been encouraged to vote (Picture: ITV/Rex)

‘One Direction would have beaten Matt Cardle in 2010 and Olly Murs would almost certainly have received more votes than Joe McElderry in 2009.’

Cowell is said to be returning to the UK X Factor for the 2014 run, but who will be joining him on the judging panel is still unknown.

The tenth series saw judges Sharon Osbourne and Gary Barlow bow out, but Nicole Scherzinger is rumoured to have been offered a £3million pay day to be at Cowell’s side this year.